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4.0 out of 5 starsDamage by dropping & liquid IS covered - read the fine print and read it again!

ByK. SMITHon July 8, 2016

Here is a review/comment by someone who HAS used the warrantee – me! This really is a decent plan, you just need to READ the entire warrantee.

Many of these negative reviews leave out one very important fact - damage caused by dropping and liquid IS covered (for "normal" cameras anyways). The entire warrantee must be read, not just the portion that lists exclusions. The warrantee states that if ADH coverage is purchased (and it is included with your Amazon purchase) then damages caused by dropping and liquids, in addition to screen breakage ARE covered. It is worded in a confusing way that requires reading… then reading again… but that is legalese for you! I think most people would agree that these three types of damages are the most common types to occur and the therefore the most important to be included in a warrantee. And the fact that this warrantee DOES cover them makes the $20-$50 you’re paying for coverage worth every penny.

In May 2016 my Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 was declared unrepairable by them and I received a brand new one within 2 weeks - a little slow, but I got it! Yes their communication is lacking - at times I had to send emails 2 or 3 times to get a response… And I worried about the wording in the warrantee stating that they could replace my camera with a refurbished one OR a “comparable” camera by another manufacture – they did not…. and the process took longer than I would have liked... But the end result was that they replaced my camera with a brand new camera of the same model, and I am back to photographing my dogs, flowers, and sunsets! All in all I was satisfied with the process. AND you can purchase the warrantee 90 days after purchase of item, instead of the 30 days required by Square Trade.

I wish I could give this company negative reviews. Simply don't do it. This protection plan, and the company, Warrantech, who sells it, are not worth the time it takes to click on em. I purchased this plan for my 700.00 camera. The plan was for accidental damage. It turns out that they have a very long list of accidental damage that they don't even cover, but fortunately they did decide to cover mine. Great right!

I mailed the camera in October of 2016 and they received it on November 2. The product description on Amazon has a list of bullet points under the price, one of them saying this: "5 Day Repair Guarantee on Depot Service". You would think that would mean my camera would be fixed within five days of their receiving it right? Well two weeks expire and I start asking for updates. On November 28 I get a response, saying that it is "In line for a technician". Then I hear nothing. I make several phone calls and get the same line, and get promises that it will be looked into but get no response. By approximately December 21 it finally gets looked at by a Tech. By December 28 I get notified that they have to order parts.

It has now been two months since I mailed this camera away to a company who advertises a 5 day service guarantee.

By January 12 I get some one on the phone who tells me that they have to mail it to the manufacturer. At this point I am becoming upset as this is now hurting my productivity and reputation. They tell me that instead of mailing it to the manufacturer they can fast track getting me an Amazon gift card so I can just buy my own.

But then I hear nothing. I email them, and approximately ten days later I get a response offering me a refurbished camera. But you can't get a new protection plan on a refurbished camera. At least none I could find. I reject the offer and ask for the gift card they offered. At least a week later after several more phone calls and emails I get another response, saying they will give me a $440.00 gift card. (The camera was 700.00).

When I call the first person I speak to tells me the 440.00 is such because my plan pays out 700.00 but they have to subtract the diagnostic fees from the company who does the repair. She actually says that "I can't expect them to pay the diagnostic fee right?" Unwilling to accept this I ask for some one who I can negotiate with. A woman answers the phone and identifies herself as a supervisor. This woman then tells me that the previous woman was misinformed and that the 440.00 was due to that being their cost for a refurbished camera that was offered. I then ask her about the 5 day service guarantee. She says that it Amazon's fault. They don't offer a 5 day guarantee that it would be ridiculous for a business to offer so quick a turnaround. Those are pretty much her words.

She then puts me on hold and of course the call disconnects.

To wrap this up I make several more calls. One supervisor actually seemed reasonable, after telling me that I have to allow for depreciation of my camera... (I bought a plan for a 700.00 camera but they were saying it was now worth 440.00). I also find out that the previous woman who identified herself as a supervisor was not a supervisor at all. Go figure. I ask for the refurbished camera on condition that they also provide me with a new accidental protection plan. Incidentally when I asked her about the 5 day service guarantee she tells me that the guarantee is that they will find me a repair service within five days. Shocked I asked her to repeat herself then again asked her to confirm that it is her final stance that the five day guarantee advertised in the product description in two different places only refers to the time they have to find a repair company... She says absolutely. She promises to call me back, but never does.

The next day I get an email with the 440.00 gift card code. That was almost four months after I mailed the camera away, and at least 20-30 hours of waiting on hold or arguing with reps. I reject the card of course and email them several times telling them so.

The Smart Guard protection team's final response response is as such: "Since the replacement item offered was denied, you are sent an ecard in the amount of the replacement item. Per the terms and conditions, your plan provides replacement of your originally covered product, or at our sole, discretion, reimbursement for the cost of replacement (up to the original purchase price). Replacement products may be a new or refurbished product of equal or similar features and functionality, but not necessarily the same brand".

So there you go. If you decide to purchase this plan expect several months of waiting and lies and many hours of heart ache and disappointment only to be given half the camera's value and a bunch of contract jargon. This company will flat out not honor its "Guarantee" and will do whatever it can to avoid responsibility, from blatant lies to hanging up on you, leaving you shaking your head and frustrated.

I will never purchase their product again, and nor should you or any one else.

I wish I could give this company negative reviews. Simply don't do it. This protection plan, and the company, Warrantech, who sells it, are not worth the time it takes to click on em. I purchased this plan for my 700.00 camera. The plan was for accidental damage. It turns out that they have a very long list of accidental damage that they don't even cover, but fortunately they did decide to cover mine. Great right!

I mailed the camera in October of 2016 and they received it on November 2. The product description on Amazon has a list of bullet points under the price, one of them saying this: "5 Day Repair Guarantee on Depot Service". You would think that would mean my camera would be fixed within five days of their receiving it right? Well two weeks expire and I start asking for updates. On November 28 I get a response, saying that it is "In line for a technician". Then I hear nothing. I make several phone calls and get the same line, and get promises that it will be looked into but get no response. By approximately December 21 it finally gets looked at by a Tech. By December 28 I get notified that they have to order parts.

It has now been two months since I mailed this camera away to a company who advertises a 5 day service guarantee.

By January 12 I get some one on the phone who tells me that they have to mail it to the manufacturer. At this point I am becoming upset as this is now hurting my productivity and reputation. They tell me that instead of mailing it to the manufacturer they can fast track getting me an Amazon gift card so I can just buy my own.

But then I hear nothing. I email them, and approximately ten days later I get a response offering me a refurbished camera. But you can't get a new protection plan on a refurbished camera. At least none I could find. I reject the offer and ask for the gift card they offered. At least a week later after several more phone calls and emails I get another response, saying they will give me a $440.00 gift card. (The camera was 700.00).

When I call the first person I speak to tells me the 440.00 is such because my plan pays out 700.00 but they have to subtract the diagnostic fees from the company who does the repair. She actually says that "I can't expect them to pay the diagnostic fee right?" Unwilling to accept this I ask for some one who I can negotiate with. A woman answers the phone and identifies herself as a supervisor. This woman then tells me that the previous woman was misinformed and that the 440.00 was due to that being their cost for a refurbished camera that was offered. I then ask her about the 5 day service guarantee. She says that it Amazon's fault. They don't offer a 5 day guarantee that it would be ridiculous for a business to offer so quick a turnaround. Those are pretty much her words.

She then puts me on hold and of course the call disconnects.

To wrap this up I make several more calls. One supervisor actually seemed reasonable, after telling me that I have to allow for depreciation of my camera... (I bought a plan for a 700.00 camera but they were saying it was now worth 440.00). I also find out that the previous woman who identified herself as a supervisor was not a supervisor at all. Go figure. I ask for the refurbished camera on condition that they also provide me with a new accidental protection plan. Incidentally when I asked her about the 5 day service guarantee she tells me that the guarantee is that they will find me a repair service within five days. Shocked I asked her to repeat herself then again asked her to confirm that it is her final stance that the five day guarantee advertised in the product description in two different places only refers to the time they have to find a repair company... She says absolutely. She promises to call me back, but never does.

The next day I get an email with the 440.00 gift card code. That was almost four months after I mailed the camera away, and at least 20-30 hours of waiting on hold or arguing with reps. I reject the card of course and email them several times telling them so.

The Smart Guard protection team's final response response is as such: "Since the replacement item offered was denied, you are sent an ecard in the amount of the replacement item. Per the terms and conditions, your plan provides replacement of your originally covered product, or at our sole, discretion, reimbursement for the cost of replacement (up to the original purchase price). Replacement products may be a new or refurbished product of equal or similar features and functionality, but not necessarily the same brand".

So there you go. If you decide to purchase this plan expect several months of waiting and lies and many hours of heart ache and disappointment only to be given half the camera's value and a bunch of contract jargon. This company will flat out not honor its "Guarantee" and will do whatever it can to avoid responsibility, from blatant lies to hanging up on you, leaving you shaking your head and frustrated.

I will never purchase their product again, and nor should you or any one else.

3232 comments|
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Amazon listed this as "accidental & spill" damage protection, however the contract explicitly states that water damage of any kind (along with a very, very long list of other things that void the protection) voids the protection plan. In fact, the coverage is worded in such a way that pretty much everything voids the protection program.

If you don't believe me, here's an excerpt:

WHAT IS NOT COVERED: THIS SERVICE AGREEMENT DOES NOT COVER ANY LOSS, REPAIRS OR DAMAGE CAUSED BY OR RESULTINGFROM: (A) PRE‐EXISTING CONDITIONS INCURRED OR KNOWN TO YOU ("PRE‐EXISTING" MEANS A CONDITION THAT WITHIN ALLREASONABLE MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL PROBABILITY RELATES TO THE MECHANICAL FITNESS OF YOUR COVERED PRODUCTPRIOR TO ISSUANCE OF THIS SERVICE AGREEMENT); (B) IMPROPER PACKAGING AND/OR TRANSPORTATION BY YOU OR YOURREPRESENTATIVE RESULTING IN DAMAGE DURING SHIPMENT TO A SERVICE CENTER OR RELOCATION OF THE COVERED PRODUCT;(C) INSTALLATION, REMOVAL, REINSTALLATION OR IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF COMPONENTS, UPGRADES, ATTACHMENTS ORPERIPHERALS; (D) PRODUCTS AND/OR COMPONENTS THAT ARE USED IN APPLICATIONS THAT REQUIRE CONTINUOUS BUSINESSAND/OR COMMERCIAL OPERATION, OR ARE USED FOR COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, EDUCATIONAL OR PUBLIC USE PURPOSES OROFFERED ON A RENTAL BASIS, OR COIN‐OPERATED PRODUCTS; (E) DAMAGE OR FAILURE CAUSED BY RIOT, NUCLEAR RADIATION,WAR OR HOSTILE ACTION, RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION, ETC.; (F) DAMAGE FROM FREEZING OR OVERHEATING; (G) INADEQUATEPLUMBING, ELECTRICAL OR GAS SERVICE; (H) INTERRUPTION OF GAS OR ELECTRICAL SERVICE; (I) NEGLECT, NEGLIGENCE, MISUSE,ABUSE, INTENTIONAL PHYSICAL/MECHANICAL/ELECTRONIC DAMAGE, PHYSICAL DAMAGE OR MALICIOUS MISCHIEF, THEFT ORMYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE, VANDALISM, RUST, CORROSION, WARPING, BENDING, ANIMAL OR INSECT INFESTATION, ETC. TOTHE COVERED PRODUCT OR ANY COMPONENT; (J) DAMAGE OR FAILURE DUE TO CAUSES BEYOND YOUR CONTROL SUCH ASENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, EXPOSURE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS OR ACTS OF NATURE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: FIRE,FLOODS, SMOKE, SAND, DIRT, LIGHTNING, MOISTURE, WATER DAMAGE OF ANY KIND, WHETHER FROM FRESH WATER, SALTWATEROR OTHER WATER INTRUSION, STORMS, WIND OR WINDSTORM, HAIL, EARTHQUAKE, OTHER EXTERNAL PERILS OF NATURE; (K)REPAIRS NECESSITATED BY OPERATION OUTSIDE THE MANUFACTURER OPERATIONAL OR ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIFICATIONS; (L)BATTERY FAILURE OR LEAKAGE; (M) COLLISION WITH ANOTHER OBJECT, COLLAPSE, EXPLOSION, LIQUID SPILLAGE OF ANY KIND BYANY OWNER, EMPLOYEE, THIRD PARTY, REPAIR PERSONNEL, ETC.,

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I was planning to buy a camera and accident coverage from amazon today - but after reading so many reviews of this plan that read "well, not too sure, but hopefully I won't need it"….I decided to do my own research!! When I went to the smart guard website and started reading what is NOT covered, I couldn't believe it! Here are a few things that are NOT covered under this "Accident Protection Plan". Water damage of any kind - fresh or salt water - due to weather or spillage, by owner or any other person. Damage due to weather exposure - dirt, sand, moisture, etc. Power overload or surge. Accidental damage - physical, mechanical or electrical - due to Dropping. Um, ok, what on earth am I buying a protection plan for if it covers exactly NONE of the potential reasons I would have for needing an accident protection plan?!? The only reason I would buy one is to protect myself against a minor accident like something getting spilled on it, sand or dirt from the playground or beach, or it getting dropped or banged up from being in a bag or backpack. Thanks, but no. I will pay a few dollars more and get a real protection plan from my favorite online camera store. Thanks Amazon - you lost the sale on this one with this terrible plan.

1414 comments|
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I don't think I've ever left a one star review for anything on Amazon but these crappy people earned it fair and square! I just wish there was a negative 50 rating!! I just bought a nearly $800 camera 2 months ago and bought this "accident" coverage just in case. I normally take pretty good care of my stuff but life can be difficult sometimes, right? It was nearly $90 for this plan.but with this camera costing so much, I figured it was worth the extra money for that extra protection. So a few weeks after I got my brand new camera, I put it on the tripod and headed to the door to go take pictures outside. I paused and set the tripod (spread out) right at the door while I ran to the restroom really quick. All of sudden I hear all kinds of noise and came running out to find my camera slammed to the floor by my robotic vacuum cleaner toppling over the tripod! I was nearly in tears as I turned the camera off and on again to see if it still worked. Well... the display screen flickered but eventually recovered. However, the eye piece was nudged out and doesn't work anymore. So I can only take pictures by viewing the fold out display screen which doesn't quite want to close all the way now. So... what do I do? Well, naturally I file a claim with my "accidental coverage" people. This was the epitome of an accident if I ever heard of one!

so, I file the claim on line and the site behaved strangely. It gave no acknowledgement of my claim, it just changed pages. When I went back to the status page it said, "pending review". I was left wondering how I was supposed to send the camera in or what I was supposed to do next. So I called the phone number supplied in my original purchase email and explained my sad story. The lady types away while I'm telling her all this and then says, "well, this coverage is only for accidents while it's in use, so it won't be covered". I asked her if there was a 30 second rule to qualify it as "in use". She said no, just as casually serious as she could be! I don't know what "in use" is defined as but my camera was turned on and ready to go! It was 10' from taking freaking pictures! OMG! Some companies are so unbearably unethical these days and THIS company is one of them!

Need I say more about why you shouldn't waste your money on this PURE crap? I don't know how Amazon became hooked up with such a lousy company but they need to seriously reconsider because Smart Guard is way beneath them! They are totally deceptive in their advertisement of an "accidental" policy. If I had the camera in my hands when it fell they would probably have said it had to be in the middle of pressing the button in order to qualify for coverage. Or maybe they'd say if it fell out of my hands that it had to be IN my hands at the time of the accident? Pfff!!

SAVE YOUR MONEY!! Go with SquareTrade or something. They are 100 times the company this one is! I'll be glad if this review saves even one person from the misery I've experienced today!

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If you read the fine print, this coverage is basically non-existant. They have the right to substitute a refurbished product OR at their sole option a different product entirely with "similar" features. Not even the same features or specs, but what they consider to be "similar". They can even give you a product of a different Brand. If you buy a Sony, you could get a non-name brand or any brand. If they have to repair the product, they can use generic parts or parts that are not made by the company that made your product. You can wind up with re-furbished parts, third-party much cheaper parts or whatever they decide to put in the product. The reason the price is so reasonable for this warranty is that it really isn't a warranty. You could wind up with anything. They also do not cover what they deem to be abuse or mis-handling. It is solely up to them to decide if you should be covered. In fact, whatever they send you is no longer covered under the warranty you purchased. You have to buy a new warranty to cover the repaired or replaced product. Spend more and get a legitimate warranty. There are plenty of companies that sell real extended accidental damage insurance. Be careful and really read the fine print before you waste your money on this virtually useless warranty.

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Tremendous scam and horrible customer service. My saga continues. I bought a Canon G15 that quit working after 6 months of very little use. In June, first day of vacation, the camera stopped working. Canon tech was of little help. I told Canon that I had Smart Guard and Canon then told me to contact them about the repair. Smart Guard them tells me that since the camera is under warranty with Canon I need to have the repair done thru Canon. Great fun. I send the camera to Canon and after chasing them for a response for two weeks I am told that the camera shows signs of water damage and that this is something that they do not cover. Of course, this is why I bought the Smart Guard coverage. For what it's worth, this camera has never been near the water. I now go back to chasing Smart Guard and after repeated attempts I finally get a response. Smart Guard asks what happened and I tell them how Canon believes the camera was water damaged. I tell Smart Guard that we had never gotten the camera wet and the only way it could possible have seen water damage is thru some sort of condensation, but again, that couldn't possible have happened. And this is where it gets really crazy. I get a call from Smart Guard approving the repair thru one of their repair outlets and I will see a box for the return coming within 3 to 5 days. Seven days later, no box. I call Smart Guard and am told they are denying the claim. I had to call them. They tell me that since the camera was damaged thru condensation it is not covered under the Smart Guard warranty. Of course, I never said it was damaged that way, thru condensation, but was only speculating. The rep at Smart Guard goes one step further to tell me that if I had dropped it in water it would be covered but not for the reasons of condensation, which never happened. Anyway, suffice to say, this is a total scam, like any other insurance company. Both Smart Guard and Canon have horrible customer service. AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

33 comments|
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I thought this protection would match with what the Geek Squad offered. Not so. This is like a debit card....with the limit equal to the value of the card. First service rendered debits the plan equal to the amount of service. Minimum of Canon service inspections starts at $195.; so, after that call the plan is debited $195. plus cost of parts, if any, and you can see where this is going. The Geek Squad plans work much differently. I will not buy this plan again. This is even worse than I thought it would be. My camera suffered a drop and, while still functional, the LCD screen exhibits an internal crack the wheel that changes F-stop and shutter speed is "iffy". SmartGuard says send it to the original manufacturer as it is still under the initial 1-year warranty. No manufacturer's warranty covers such a thing as drops and spills. My camera still works; but, this conditions is somewhat of an annoyance. Not as big an annoyance as Amazon's attitude toward ignoring my pleas regarding this warranty. My recommendation: Do not buy cameras on Amazon. Buy from a reputable dealer such as Best Buy and get their Geek Squad warranty. Costs more; but, it is a genuine warranty. I am going to contact the camera provider and express my displeasure too.

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So many others have said things along the lines of "I don't know if this is good, but I'm glad I have it" - not particularly helpful...

I ended up buying it because the price was right. I found the fine print after I had purchased, and wished I had seen it before hand. It's not covered from "Acts of God" which are usually stipulated to be weather-related problems (e.g. if your house is flooded and your product is damaged, they can claim the flood was an act of god). Personally, I like my insurance policies to be atheist.

Here's what's NOT covered:Pre-existing conditions or unauthorized repairsUsed items, floor samples, or products sold "As-Is"Outdoor furnitureProducts used in a commercial setting without a commercial planDamages resulting from exposure to outdoor elementsDamages from acts of nature or acts of God ******Animal or insect infestationRot, rust, and moldTheft and customer abuse or intentional damageOther exclusions as listed in the Exclusions section of your terms and conditions

99 comments|
124 people found this helpful.
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In reading over reviews of this product, I discovered that most of the 4 and 5 star reviews for it are by people who haven't used it, but are happy they have it in case they need it somewhere down the road. I have used it. Pro: my camera was repaired to my satisfaction Cons: it took longer than I had hoped to get it repaired I had no idea what was happening with my camera once it left my hands.

This was bought as extra protection for a Canon Sl1 camera. This is my experience. 1. The total time it took from first making a claim by phone from my home in Louisiana to receiving the camera back from PhotoTech, a camera repair facility located in New York City was 23 days. (Dec. 7-Dec. 30, 2015) 2. I am totally happy with the work PhotoTech did. The part I made the claim for was removed and replaced with a new one, the camera was cleaned and sent back to me in like-new condition firmly sandwiched in form-fitting dense foam packaging. 3. The bottom line is that my camera was covered and repaired, so I'm satisfied. I think, though, that Warrentech, the entity that sells the SmartGuard plan, needs to improve customer service. --From start-to-finish I had only 2 interactions with Warrentech. The first was when I spoke to a representative on the phone to make a claim. The second was in the form of an e-mail sent by them 48 hours later containing the shipping label I needed to send the camera to the repair facility. After that, there was nothing; it was as though I had dropped my camera into a black hole. I was left to wonder: did the camera arrive? was it going to be repaired? (I wasn't sure if the problem I had would even be covered); when should I expect it back? I finally called PhotoTech myself to find out what was going on. --I don't fault the repair facility for the lack of information. I think it was--and should be--Warrentech's responsibility to provide feedback (via e-mail or text message) to the customer since it is the entity that arranges and pays for the repairs. And, at this time, anyway, it doesn't do that.Customer service shouldn't end once a claim is received and assigned. It should continue until the covered item is repaired and returned.

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Accidents are the main thing people buy these plans for, but guess what ISN'T covered? you got it......accidents. You drop it in water while hiking or climbing, too bad. You go to beach and it gets sand in it, too bad.Get stolen at home? it will cover that, but so will my homeowner's insurance, same for my car.So what do they cover that isn't covered by home or auto insurance (and renter's insurance if don't own home).....still trying to figure that out.Can't believe Amazon allows this, .....folks, wait till you try to register on their website. ????????who set up their website? a 10 year old kid down the street?I can't get it to register my product, and I am technically proficient

scam scam scam

99 comments|
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